House Tour Part VIII

Welcome to the second guest bedroom/office! I know, I know, you've mostly seen it all before but since it's pretty much together at this point I thought I'd "officially" blog it.

Notice the snazzy art grid of Ikea happiness on the wall! I just finished it tonight. I used a laser level and a tape measure. I swear, the cussing was minimal.
I am talking about this room so late because it has been difficult from the beginning. There are two reasons this room is so problematic. First of all, I would have really liked to just have the room be an office/den. However, I needed another bed, but because the room is so small, I had to go with a twin bed. Since it's a mixed use room, it feels a little schizophrenic to me. The second problem is that the room is long and very narrow so furniture placement possibilities are limited.

My darling decorator believes that we should make the wall behind the bed the focal point in the room by hanging floor to ceiling curtains that stretch all the way across. Therefore, the curtains behind the bed right now are temporary until this issue is resolved. However, just today my darling decorator emailed me and she has successfully tracked down perfect drapery fabric! It's the right color, the right pattern and the right price. She is supernaturally talented! We'll keep you posted on our progress but we hope to measure and get the drapes going really soon.
Here's my little bill paying desk. I got it for Christmas from my best friend about 8 years ago. I love it. It is from Target and is certainly not expensive, but it has good lines and is the perfect size for my needs - and of course it looks fabulous with the Formerly Ugly Chair. I also want to point out my vintage genie bottle lamp which I scored at the Sleepy Poet's Antique Mall. I am very proud to have found it, sort of like I won a prize or something.
Finally, here is a shot of the opposite wall which is mostly taken up with a large and well used book case. In case you haven't noticed, I have a lot of books. I try to keep it moderately organized but I really need to spend some time making it a little prettier. Bookcases are a science and an art and I really need to be in the mood to do them and suffice it to say I haven't been in the mood for a very. long. time. If I decide to work on it, I'll be sure to let ya'll know.

Guest Room Redux

By now ya'll have probably figured out that I am seldom satisfied with the state of my home. I am constantly scheming to make it a little bit better. The guest room is one of my biggest challenges.

In my experience, guest rooms have often been uncomfortable. This is the room where others house the uncomfortable mattress, the mismatched furniture, the sheets they got as a gift and have never actually washed and the lumpy pillows that they got, somewhere, over the past few years (few people actually know where the pillows on their guest beds came from). Often the air is stale and the furniture is dusty.

I have slept on lumpy mattresses, flat pillows, scratchy sheets and, on at least one occasion, with a metal bar pressing into the middle of my back. One time my pillowcase was so covered with my host's cat's hair I actually had to turn the pillowcase inside out. No really, I was just glad she was kind enough to give me a place to sleep.... really. My severe cat allergy really isn't that bad.

Believe me, there is nothing worse than laying awake all night in a strange place - hot, uncomfortable and miserable. I know. I've done it.

Therefore, guest comfort is of the utmost importance to me. I want my guests to feel welcome, adored and pampered.

This is my justification for redoing the guest room. As you can see, it went from brown to light. I love it! It's like being in a cloud.

Here is a closeup of the head of the bed. Don't ya just want to crawl in there?

One of the coolest things for me (and I know I'm a big, fat design geek) is that the guest room bedding now matches the guest bathroom towels and shower curtain.

Isn't that cool? Aren't you buzzing and charmed? I thought you would bee.

See there? I'm so happy I even made a little pun.

The guest bathroom accoutrement were given to me as a housewarming gift by my dear and darling friends at work. Aren't they great? And notice the lovely monogram in the middle of my shower curtain. I did that. And when I said "I did that" I actually meant I took it over to Alphabet Soup and told them to do that. It really makes a difference, though, doesn't it?

Remember, a simple thing like a monogram can elevate a run of the mill shower curtain from Target. It makes it special and unique and that is always charming.

House Tour Part VII

Here's a shot of the staircase in the house. I sort of started this type of gallery by accident in my old townhouse and was really amazed by how people responded to it when they came to visit. It takes a "nothing" space and turns it into something interesting.



Over the years I have started collecting black and white photos and some of them are hanging here. I also like to collect photos when I travel. It seems more substantial than buying tshirts and tchotchkes, they are easy to pack and they bring back memories of the trip.

Here is a shot of the two pieces hanging in the hallway when you enter the house. The bottom one is called "Times Square: The Night Fantastic" by Lillian Bassman. When Elle Decor profiled Monique Lhuillier's home, she had the same print (albeit a real one)in her living room. The one on top is "Her" by Troy Plair, a photographer in Washington, D.C. I collect a lot of Troy's work but this is the first one I bought and it is one of my favorite things that I have ever had. Here's a closeup:

There is something that I find absolutely classic and elegant and feminine in this photograph and I think in many ways it inspired the whole house.

House Tour Part VI

Here we are in the kitchen. I am pretty happy with the way it turned out. I was worried that it would be too dark, but it gets a lot of light from the dining room and from the sun room.




Here we have a view from another angle. I have an enormous amount of kitchen tools in the crocks on the right. I have a bit of a spatula fetish.



And finally, here is our little dinette, complete with bent plywood zebra chairs. My dad hates them. I got Marilyn on a trip to New York a few years ago. Her placement in the new house was a source of great discussion prior to the move. We like her in the living area.

House Tour Part V

Welcome to the living room. This is our fire place and we love it. It has been especially nice to have since the weather has turned drab and rainy. I also really like it on spring mornings when it is warm enough to open the patio door but just chilly enough to make us appreciate a nice fire.



Across from the fireplace we have our little sofa. The framed art above the sofa turned out really well and is a testament to the versatility of the humble Ribba frame from Ikea. The photos are from "Deep South" by Sally Mann. I like them because they are southern and moody and slightly abstract and they remind me of home. The sofa itself came from Storehouse a million years ago and it's lesson to us all is this: When they ask you if you want to pay extra for the scotch guard treatment, say yes. A house guest recently spilled red wine all over it (and I do mean ALL over it) and it wiped clean. We also enjoy our little throw pillows. They are most commonly utilized by napping Beans.


And finally we have our fabulous Jasper entertainment center from Crate and Barrel. I love it because it has drawers and shelves and hides books, magazines, DVDs and all of the electronic junk. Those of you who know me, know that I am all about the hiding of the technology. I want it, I just don't want to look at it. I also have to take a moment to say that I think hanging flat screen TVs are just the greatest thing ever. Now we don't have to have a whole piece of furniture devoted to holding a TV. Also, I think they look very "Star Trek" which isn't really a bad thing. The other cool thing about this is that I have digital phone through my cable company and when the phone rings the caller ID pops up in a little box on the TV. I know I am geeky but that so totally rocks!

The Parsons Desk

One of the major issues with my bedroom was a large open space on the far side of the room and a dearth of furniture to put in it. I had hit the limit on the matchy matchy bedroom furniture and knew that I needed something to break it all up. Practically speaking, I also needed a place to put a lamp and to pile the stacks of books that I seem to keep accumulating. These are the "official" reasons the Parsons Desk was purchased. The real reason is that I have been jonesing for one for a long time and finally found a place to put one.

I actually did research in advance of this post because I felt strongly that I needed to say something more about the Parsons Desk than "I love it, I love it, I love it."

According to the New York Times, the Parsons Desk is to decor what the Little Black Dress is to fashion: a decorating staple that can be dressed up or down. The original Parsons table was designed in the 1930's by French designer Jean-Michel Frank and a group of design students at Parson Paris, and from that it takes it's name. When I fell in love with it, I didn't know it was French, I swear.

In keeping with the French theme on the far side of the room we have, hanging over the desk, a portrait of Coco Chanel by Marie Laurencin. The last time I was in Paris, I actually got to see the original of this painting hanging in the Musee de L'Orangerie, which I found pretty cool.

So, we have a French desk, a French chair and a French painting of a French person all tidily arranged together on the far side of the room. I did all of this quite by accident, but I have to say, I love it when a French Plan comes together.

House Tour Part IV

Today we are going to tour the sunroom. I have some issues in taking pictures of the sunroom because when it's sunny, all of my pictures are overexposed. However, I did have an opportunity to snap some at sundown on Friday night, so here we are.



This is my Barcelona Chair. I love it. I bought it from a guy on Craigslist who had decided to redecorate his uptown condo. My original hope was that Finn would adopt it as his "man chair" but so far his attention has been limited. Of the two of them, Finn definitely gives it more attention than Lola does as she will sit in it only if I sit in it with her. It needs a little TLC and it is going off to the upholsterer in January to have some of its straps reinforced, if nothing else. I had thought I might have the cushions redone, but I am currently rethinking that decision. If I go through with it I'll be sure to post update pictures. The important thing to remember in all of this is that it is a boon to everyone when bachelors redecorate.


Here is a shot of the full room. I like the way it turned out. The pillows were a little dicey for a while and let me tell you, the humble throw pillow can really be your friend. This room was OK until the pillows came but they really pulled it together for me and the lesson to be learned is that accessories make all the difference! The other big element is the Noguchi coffee table! I was lamenting ordering one from DWR (for reasons previously noted) but then I stumbled upon this one at Metro over on Morehead Street. It was the last one in captivity so I snapped it right up. And if you haven't been over to Metro you should go check it out. They are closed on Sunday, which is a little bit of a bummer, but they have incredibly cool mid-century modern pieces, including very cool lamps and pillows, so its worth a drop by on a busy Saturday or maybe during lunch.


And finally, here is a shot of the Beans lounging by the door. It was almost 70 degrees here on Friday so we took the opportunity to enjoy the air. They really like to lie around in doorways and watch what goes on outside, for reasons I don't really understand. I suppose it's sort of like Corgi television. Suffice it to say that it keeps them occupied and out from under foot for long periods of time, and like any good mother, I employ it to my advantage.

House Tour Part III

I have never been a person who saw the world in terms of black and white but I have never met a black and white print that I didn't L.O.V.E. Proof of this love is on full display in my dining room.
My father is absolutely bumfuzzled by this room. Apparently, it has never occurred to him that a person would do this, let alone one that grew up in his house. This is not the first time I have defied his expectations but it's the first time it has been so graphically displayed (he also doesn't understand why I'm not married, but that's a whole other enchilada). The first time he saw it, he just stood in the door way and stared at it for a long, long time. Then he asked me why I would do such a thing and didn't I think it needed a little "color". Now when he visits, he always spends some time pondering the dining room. Mom says he tells everyone about it. Go figure.
This is my little wine caddie which I got at Target many many years ago. I am ridiculously in love with it for reasons that I don't quite understand.

Here's a nice picture of my lamp and mirror. The cost of the lamp made my stomach hurt from the time that I bought it until I got it home. Once it was sitting on my sideboard, I no longer cared how much it cost.

House Tour Part II

Welcome to our guest room! Won't you drop by and stay for a while?

The Bee Charmer and her little Beans really love company and if you drop by to stay with us, odds are we'll put you up in the "official" guest room. I really like how this room came out. I think everyone has a room where all of their mismatched furniture goes to live and more often than not, its your poor little guest room. The Bee Charmer is no exception. With the exception of the bed, all of the furniture here was either inherited or handed down. The cedar chest and the dresser are from my Grandmother and the side tables came from Mom. But somehow, when thrown all together and combined with a couple of really cool mercury glass Crate and Barrel lamps (which we scored on Craigslist) it works and doesn't feel like a mismash.

I am particularly happy with the dresser in this room. When Grandmother died, this was the only piece of furniture in her house that NOBODY else wanted and my father asked me to take it - I think because he felt sorry for it. And to be fair, it was pretty pitiful. It's mirror was attached to it's back and it had the ugliest Early American hardware on it that you have ever seen.

But it's lines were good. So we unhooked the mirror and hung it on the wall, shined it up with a little Pledge, switched out the ugly hardware for $35 worth of sleek brushed nickel pulls and it looked like a whole new piece. In fact, my Dad didn't even recognize it!
While we're in this part of the house, I'll go ahead and show you the hall and landing outside of the bedrooms. It's not all that exciting but I am really happy with the art on the wall outside of the guest room. While on a family trip in Charleston, South Carolina this summer I picked up a few postcards featuring the Charleston iron work. When I got back to Charlotte, I took my little post cards to my framer, along with some frames I had picked up long ago at the Pottery Barn outlet. A few bucks later, we had beautiful pictures framed in snazzy lavender mats. It turned out to be unexpectedly fabulous because the lavender mats are neutral enough to be neutral but unexpected enough to stand out in the best way. Remember, no decision is too small when you're talking about your beautiful house!

Stay tuned, later this week we're going downstairs. Next up: the Black and White dining room that still has my Dad completely bumfuzzled.

House Tour Part I

Welcome to our home! One of the reasons I started this blog was to share my ongoing obsession with all things related to my house.

For those of you who don't know, I purchased my first home, a townhouse, last February. Since our little community was in the early development phases when I signed the contract, we endured many many months of inactivity before construction finally began in December last year. All that time just gave me an opportunity to save, shop, plan, scheme and drive all my friends crazy discussing whether or not they thought my kitchen counters would be too "heavy". But all that planning involved the first floor of our new home. I barely gave a thought to the three bedrooms upstairs, not to even mention the two full baths.

Two months after the move, my obsession turned upward. When I moved in, I brought with me my old bedroom furniture. I got it in the "divorce" and it seemed so....foreign, for lack of a better word, in the new place. Don't get me wrong, the whole "divorce"disaster was over long ago, but furniture is furniture and it didn't seem misbegotten in my old place. Well let me tell you, it didn't belong here. It rankled me. Thee weeks after it moved in, I placed a call to the Salvation Army and just like that, I had an empty canvas.

It is because I thought of the upstairs last that I have decided to feature it first in the house tour. So now, after a few months of fiddling and moving things around upstairs, we are ready for the big reveal.... Voila!


I found the bed first, at my happy place, Crate and Barrel. I swear to you, those people over there think I am insane. I either spend nothing or I just randomly drop by and buy a bed. And it just happened that way. I really didn't go in there for a bed, I just saw it, fell in love and the next thing I knew they were ringing it up. The other thing about this picture is the two new frames on either side of the bed. These were given to me for my birthday by my dear friend and they were the final piece of the bedroom puzzle.

This is my dresser! I love it because it has drawers for all of my stuff. My old bureau was sorely lacking in storage space and when I saw this I almost passed out, my head spinning from the very thought that my socks could have their very own drawer! If you've noticed, I purchased a bedroom suite (save for the bed). I know that this is frowned upon in decorating circles and I generally avoid the matchy matchy. However, in this room it really worked for me so I ran with it. I also want to mention the gorgeous lavender lamp on the dresser. It's vintage and I paid $27 for it at a flea market. Many of you are jealous of my lamp and I just have to tell you - um, you still can't have it. The best part about it is that it matches my lavender paint.

Yes, my friends, I painted my bedroom lavender. French Heirloom by Behr, to be precise. I was a little afraid that it would look too "Easter egg-y" but thankfully it turned out to be interestingly neutral and I think, quite sophisticated with my dark furniture.

And here's a close up of my new desk chair. As you saw before, I bought a really cool white lacquer parsons desk from West Elm to anchor the far side of the room. I love the contrast of the desk's clean lines with the dark wood and traditional style of my other furniture. And the traditional style of the chair combined with the modernity of the clear plastic perfectly ties it all together.


Stay tuned, tomorrow we're going to tour the guest room! And later this week we're going to spend a little more time with that West Elm parsons desk. I love it so much it merits its own post.